Okay News reports that the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has scheduled an Extraordinary National Executive Council (E-NEC) meeting for Saturday, October 25, 2025, to review its earlier 30-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government over unresolved welfare and policy issues affecting its members.
According to a notice obtained on Tuesday and signed by the Secretary-General of the association, Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim, the meeting will be held virtually and will bring together National Officers, Caucus Leaders, Centre Presidents, and General Secretaries across the country.
“I am writing to inform you that an Extraordinary National Executive Council meeting has been scheduled for Saturday, 25th October 2025,” the notice read. “Your presence and participation are crucial in addressing the matter at hand.”
The outcome of the meeting is expected to determine whether the association will proceed with another round of industrial action or suspend the planned strike based on the government’s response.
NARD had on September 26 given the Federal Government a 30-day ultimatum to address a series of unresolved demands. Among them are the non-payment of outstanding arrears following the 25 per cent and 35 per cent upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), which the doctors said should have been paid by the end of August 2025.
The association also decried the dismissal of five resident doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, describing it as unjust and insensitive, especially at a time when the sector is battling severe brain drain and widespread burnout.
The doctors complained about the non-payment of promotion arrears, the delayed 2024 accoutrement allowance, and bureaucratic obstacles in upgrading resident doctors after postgraduate examinations. They warned that the continued exclusion of resident doctors from the specialist allowance, coupled with salary downgrades and delayed promotions, has worsened morale among health workers nationwide.
The notice further highlighted poor working conditions, dilapidated infrastructure, and outdated hospital equipment as major factors driving medical professionals to seek opportunities abroad.
NARD also faulted the continued exclusion of medical and dental house officers from the civil service structure, a situation the body said has denied them full benefits and recognition. It criticised the creation of consultant cadres for non-medical professionals, which it described as a threat to medical standards and patient care.
Additionally, the doctors raised concerns about the failure to implement the one-for-one replacement policy meant to fill vacancies created by doctors who have left the system, warning that this has further increased workload and burnout in the hospitals.
The association maintained that many of its members still face persistent salary shortfalls and lack of career progression due to prolonged casualisation, with some doctors remaining in temporary positions for nearly a decade.
The E-NEC meeting on Saturday is therefore seen as crucial, as it may determine the union’s final stance and possible industrial response if the Federal Government fails to meet their demands.
